Have taken the plung and decided to get into bike riding and ordered myself a CAAD10 5 105 which I am paying of so in the mean time I am looking for pedals and shoes, as I will need them before I pick the bike up but I am having trouble finding/deciding what I should get, the reason been is the thought of road pedal and shoes scares me abit getting in and out and also if I want to get off the bike and walk around I am not sure how comfortable or easy it will be, so this leads me down the road of mountain bike pedals and shoes, can this work and what are the down falls to it?? Also if i did go down the mountain bike route what do you recomend which model and brand??

Plenty of us use SPD mountain bike shoes vs. the road SPD-SL style.It makes for easier walking off bike, you don't slide around like you're on skates and you also don't damage the cleats. They also make clipping in easier due to the double sided pedals.

Cons some would say are they're heavier shoes in general and also some people report "hot spots" on their feet as all the input is more centrally focused. This can be mitigated by quality firm spd shoes. Some people also report the spd-sl shoes as being "firmer" and "more in control". It's fairly subjective though. There's also a new type out that you may be interested in. BNA did a review of them a few months ago: Shimano Click'r - http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/03/shimano-click-r-commuter-cycling-pedals/

I personally prefer to use MTB cleats with mountain bike shoes when I go clipless. There are certainly quite a few others around who do the same. MTB shoes are a little heavier though. The contact point on the pedal is smaller and some people claim that this makes a difference. But with stiff soles it should be no different.

Overall if all you care about is riding then road pedals and shoes are marginally better. Though if you want to walk once you park your bike then road shoes aren't the best.

The Click'r pedals hold nicely and clip in and out just fine. But the pedal itself if horribly heavy and bulky. SPDs are exactly the same, but have a firmer spring, so it takes a bit more force to clip in and out.

The SPD-SL road pedals and shoes are quite firm in and out, but still quite easy to manage with a small amount of forward planning. I like the feel of the road shoes for longer rides and powering along at high speed. However I don't think it's worth the extra dollars having different shoe/pedal types (except for the convenience of having a second pair of shoes when the other are wet!), and SPDs are more than adequate and secure.

In terms of attaching yourself to the pedals, all clipless systems are capable of letting you clipstack. It's something that you just have to be mindful of for the first few rides until it becomes second nature.

thomashouseman wrote:Cons some would say are they're heavier shoes in general and also some people report "hot spots" on their feet as all the input is more centrally focused.

The "hot-spotting" is largely alleviated in the newer "Trail" pedals (M530, M785, M985). The fore & aft extended body gives a larger contact area than the traditional small blocky design (now called "Race" pedals in Shimano-speak), which spreads the load when cleated in. Note that they're NOT "combination"-type pedals that can be used without cleats; they are still most definitely cleated pedals.

I would certainly recommend the shimano spd pedals. They might be a mountain bike pedal, but I used them for a couple of years on my old road bike before graduating to the more commonly seen road pedals. IMO, the SPDs are great. The cleats are hidden under your shoe, so you can walk around without click clacking. Also, there is a little bit of play in the locked position. I found that I never had any problems with unclipping in a hurry. I also like the fact that they are double sided... Makes clipping in a bit easier.

Ok well is sounds like the option of going SPD (mountain bike) is the way to go. These are what I was looking at before I posted first up and was wondering if they woud be a good option. I know I probably can get them cheaper else where but am just using the links as reference. What does everybody think???

ADI13 wrote:Ok well is sounds like the option of going SPD (mountain bike) is the way to go. These are what I was looking at before I posted first up and was wondering if they woud be a good option. I know I probably can get them cheaper else where but am just using the links as reference. What does everybody think???

Also thanks heaps to everyone that has posted the thoughs its is very much appreciated.

Adrian

Shimano XC50 MTB SPD Shoes 2013

thats pretty much the simillar shoe i posted above id personally go for the red + Black...(the "N" model) You will be amazed on how it can stay and appear/look clean all the time... as it hides dirt, dust and finger prints very easily. But if you like white, thats your choice.

Also the good thing im pretty sure is that the XC50N you can replace the soles if they start to wear... (the grey bits you see in the pic) which is an accessory in Shimano's range

the A530 pedals would be my choice as you can use normal shoes on one side.the only downside to that is you are only limited to one side... probably a fraction of a second longer to clip in as you need to flip it around.

but like i mentioned above too, going to the mall or the shops and you choose to chain your bike up, you can wear normal shoes... very useful.i sold my pair and have always looked back

Last edited by DoubleSpeeded on Tue Sep 17, 2013 6:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Yea I was going to go to a few lbs and try them on first and then buy online as I am going to have to get them at the beat price possible as I have stretched my budget by a fair bit in getting the CAAD10 and unfortunately instore will be to dear.

ADI13 wrote:Yea I was going to go to a few lbs and try them on first and then buy online as I am going to have to get them at the beat price possible as I have stretched my budget by a fair bit in getting the CAAD10 and unfortunately instore will be to dear.

yeah see if they can at least compete with online pricing... they may even try to match it

the best thing in buying at a LBS is the satisfaction of getting it; then and there.. bringing it home.

where as online, you always have the period of anticipation... whether it be long or short of a wait.

from memory... Specialized sizes are slightly different to Shimano sizes for e.g

make sure you choose correctly, as return postage for something that doesn't fit etc can generally be at your cost.

even if you have to go to a local shop with that model...and try it on.

I have Shimano and Specialized road shoes and take a size smaller in Specialized.Don't think you'll find any online shops selling Specialized shoes except eBay. It's also extremely bad ettiquette to try on shoes at LBS and buy online.

Yes I do agree with you in trying on the shoes in the lbs and then buying on line is not very good ettiquette at all but for my first purchase untill I upgrade and get more comfortable in riding the bike and then upgrade to a full road shoe/pedal combo I am going to have too as money will be at a very minimum after I pay the bike off. I will probably go to one of the larger bike shops rather than a small inderpendent and do so, but either way I will not feel 100% comfortable about doing it though.

I've found shimano Euro sizing to be spot on with other euro sized shoes. I'm a 44 and just checked the wardrobe and my Wilson tennis shoes, my Haviana thongs and my Scarpa rock climbing shoes are also all 44's. So they're pretty accurate.

from memory... Specialized sizes are slightly different to Shimano sizes for e.g

make sure you choose correctly, as return postage for something that doesn't fit etc can generally be at your cost.

even if you have to go to a local shop with that model...and try it on.

I have Shimano and Specialized road shoes and take a size smaller in Specialized.Don't think you'll find any online shops selling Specialized shoes except eBay. It's also extremely bad ettiquette to try on shoes at LBS and buy online.

i didnt say it was good etiquette .. but it happens all the time.and theres nothing that the shops can do. as it isnt illegal.

its not real different to test driving and fanging a Mercedes Benz C63 AMG at a Mercedes dealer and end up buying a Nissan R35 GT-R at a Nissan dealership.

I agree it goes against my ethics and ettiquette. I would feel more comfortable running red lights and performing other minor road infractions rather using bricks&mortar retail to try out products before buying online.

human909 wrote:I agree it goes against my ethics and ettiquette. I would feel more comfortable running red lights and performing other minor road infractions rather using bricks&mortar retail to try out products before buying online.

But as discussed on other occasions, ethics differ.

And its no different to wiggle etc undercutting all the domestic sales in Aust... and if it was a fairytale world, then everyones etiquette would be supporting a local shop rather than UK?

i know what you mean though

say for some legitimate reason you didnt end up buying the shoes you tried ON... but then later on you need to go to the same store for some other reason.they might remember.

I hope my comment "of going into a lbs to try the shoes on first then buying online" everyone on here does not think that I am a person who has no morals or ethics as this is far from the truth. The only reason I said this is because of a monetary decision and not a ethical decission. The CAAD10 will have stretched my budget way beyond what I could/can afford at the moment but I just had to have this bike, and YES I could have got the CAAD8 or something else but would have regreted it and wanted to upgrade pretty much straight away, so that would have been a waste of money. I think all I am trying to say is that I dont want to be thought off as a low life that takes advantage of the local Australian LBS for my own gain as this is definatly not the case even though it came across like that. In saying this I think I will just save more and wait to purchse the shoes from my LBS and buy a set of SPD pedals that allow me to use normal runners untill I have the money for the proper shoes.

ADI13 wrote:I hope my comment "of going into a lbs to try the shoes on first then buying online" everyone on here does not think that I am a person who has no morals or ethics as this is far from the truth. The only reason I said this is because of a monetary decision and not a ethical decission. The CAAD10 will have stretched my budget way beyond what I could/can afford at the moment but I just had to have this bike, and YES I could have got the CAAD8 or something else but would have regreted it and wanted to upgrade pretty much straight away, so that would have been a waste of money. I think all I am trying to say is that I dont want to be thought off as a low life that takes advantage of the local Australian LBS for my own gain as this is definatly not the case even though it came across like that. In saying this I think I will just save more and wait to purchse the shoes from my LBS and buy a set of SPD pedals that allow me to use normal runners untill I have the money for the proper shoes.

Look I dont mean to offend and d idn't wanna say this but what the heck...

See what you have done, etiquette-people?The guy has come here asking for advice and help and now its made him feel bad, nervous and reluctant.

Him being a new member as well should feel this way?

Dude, don't sweat it man. There's no harm in tryin the shoes ON at a lbs and not buying. There's no obligation.

That's what the shoes on the shelves are thereAnd trust me, some of the ones there have been tried on by many smelly feet.

And not just that, there's many times I've bought things that I didn't see in the flesh that look good in pics and when it arrives never was what I expected and anticipated for. No point ending up with something your stuck with that doesnt fit, you dont like the colour etc because u thought of having etiquette, morals or simply being too shy in the first place.It's important to get the right fit, especially shoes... Wrong fit can give u numb toes, awkward feeling feet and ruin your riding enjoyment and experience...There was also times where I've had two items in mind, saw them in the flesh and slept on it for weeks and then decided and was grateful I gave it much thought

A lot of the people here have been riding for years and know exactly what they're looking for to be able to buy online etc.Like there was a chart to compare shimano sizes to specialized sizes... One of them u go one size up from what you really are.Then you got European, US, Uk sizes...Eg size 9 in Aus shoes is equivalent to size 9.5 - 10 in USA. (I learned from that the hard way)Your a newbie like most of us... Baby steps champ.

The Internet is always gonna be very opinionated.Your not a low life or have bad morals, don't worry

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